ReadyAI K-12 Summer Camp at KAUST
A Week of Learning, Adaptation, and Future Possibilities
By: Haotian Fang
Overview
This summer, I had the opportunity to lead the ReadyAI K-12 Summer Camp at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia with my lovely colleague David. Spanning five enriching days, this camp was an immersive journey into the vast and increasingly relevant world of Artificial Intelligence. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look into the experience.
Goals
I had four goals when I prepared for the course.
Educational: To provide a strong foundational understanding of AI and its components.
Societal: To instill a sense of responsibility regarding the ethical and societal implications of AI.
Inclusion: To adapt our teaching methods to fit various skill levels.
Local Relevance: To make the curriculum locally relevant by incorporating ongoing projects in Saudi Arabia.
Background
The camp hosted students ranging from grades 6 to 10 and focused on the “5 Big Ideas in AI.” Given KAUST’s incredibly diverse environment and the students’ varying skill levels, we designed the course to be highly adaptive and inclusive.
Overall Structure
We divided the camp into five days, with each day dedicated to different aspects of AI:
Day 1: Introduction to AI, AI Perception & AI Models/Reasoning
The first day was exhilarating. I was giving the students an overview of what AI is and how machine learning algorithms work. We incorporated puzzles and games to make the understanding of complex algorithms enjoyable and accessible.
Day 2: Exploring AI Ethics and Societal Impact
The second day was perhaps my favorite, given the rich diversity at KAUST. We delved into the ethical implications of AI, discussing topics like bias, discrimination, and privacy. We had debates, role-playing activities, and interactive discussions that genuinely enriched the learning experience.
Day 3: Hands-on Coding Experience
On the third day, we got our hands dirty with coding. I divided the students into different groups based on their prior experience with coding. The more experienced coders worked with Python, while the beginners used block-based languages. It was a joy to see the students engaged and challenged at their respective skill levels.
Day 4: AI APP Workshop
I introduced students to using APIs to build a simple application. For this, they used Open AI’s API, which powers the famous AI application known as ChatGPT. They then imputed this into two applications (Fastgen and Toddle) to build their very own recipe generator app.
Day 5: Project Presentations and Future Opportunities
The final day was an emotional one. The students presented the projects they had been working on throughout the week. We also talked about how they could turn their projects into WAICY projects. Awards were given, and the atmosphere was one of celebration and anticipation for the future.
Reflection
Before visiting KAUST to prepare for the ReadyAI K-12 AI summer camp, I spent a considerable amount of time pondering the emphasis I should place on the societal impact of the “5 Big Ideas in AI” in the curriculum. In the United States, where I have previous teaching experience, students in grades 6 to 10 often find it difficult to grasp the importance of topics like bias, discrimination, and privacy in AI. Although these students may live in diverse communities, the prevailing educational environment does not necessarily encourage them to think critically about these issues. Moreover, their technical backgrounds often cannot support a reflective approach to the technologies we use today.
My experience at KAUST, however, was markedly different. Despite having only 8,000 residents, the campus is incredibly diverse that they are from over 120 countries.[1] The young students there have a more expansive understanding of diversity compared to their peers in other locations. We should cover more tailored topics in AI Ethics in our future courses there.
Some of the students who enrolled in the AI summer camp also exceeded our expectations in terms of coding skills. A number of them already had experience in coding and robot design, which enabled them to quickly grasp the material we presented. However, it’s important to note that there was a significant variation in skill levels among the students. This highlights the need for a more tailored approach to teaching, ensuring that students with similar backgrounds can maximize their learning in the classroom.
Surprisingly, all the students were aware of ongoing projects in Saudi Arabia, particularly Vision 2030. However, they didn’t necessarily see themselves as participants in these initiatives. Future camp should present an invaluable opportunity to help them understand the trajectory of the country they’re living in, and how they can make meaningful contributions to their community.
Diversity, within-group variation, and connection to national projects are three areas where we should focus our efforts when planning our future courses.
This article was written by Haotian Fang.
Haotian Fang is an undergraduate majoring in Philosophy of Science and Computer Science at the University of Pittsburgh. His research interest encompasses Transparency and Trust in AI Systems, Phenomenology, and Cognitive Science. He has worked on multiple projects about K-12 AI Education with ReadyAI and led the WAICY (World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth) in 2021 and 2022.
To learn more about ReadyAI, visit www.readyai.org or email us at info@readyai.org.
- Overview | King Abdullah University. (n.d.). KAUST. Retrieved September 1, 2023, from https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en/live/community-life
